Originally Posted by petaluma1 (Post 21050251)

I've been told that, for the most part, front line clerks don't get to go on these field trips. It's for the higher ups.

Originally Posted by CPT Trips (Post 21050030)

You are correct. Nothing they showed on camera prepared the Airport Security Screeners to find one of those bombs or properly respond to a discovery of one. It sure would be interesting to see the "lesson plan" and the instructional objectives. It was probably fun for most Airport Security Screeners present and the guys actually blowing up things likely kept their skill set up.

Can someone remind me. Has TSA discovered any bomb or IED at a security checkpoint?

Originally Posted by WillCAD (Post 21049089)

Point taken. Boom bad. No boom allowed on plane.

Originally Posted by exbayern (Post 21055419)

OOOH this thread is a great place to share some of my favourite furrin' links.

Can one make a bomb using items available in the duty free and/or airside shops?

http://www.wdr.de/tv/quarks//sendung...4ECAAC6B3303DD (Sorry, INK, no captions but there is none needed - basically the translation is BOOM)

http://www.wdr.de/tv/quarks/sendungs...003_terror.jsp

Can one bring items through the superduper scanners which can then be turned into a bomb? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrKvweNugnQ (I lost the link with English subtitles but my summary is here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/check...l#post19455121)

(Sorry, INK, no subtitles Austrian-English, but here is the short clip - basically the translation is BOOM) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usffefz2wIs

So, essentially, the scanners and the liquid ban won't necessarily prevent someone creating a bomb. Remind me again, OP, why the US is using scanners as primary in so many airports?

(Both of these programs were designed to show the absurdity of relying on the scanners, and on the liquid ban)

Originally Posted by exbayern (Post 21055419)

OOOH this thread is a great place to share some of my favourite furrin' links....

Originally Posted by WillCAD (Post 21049089)

Point taken. Boom bad. No boom allowed on plane.

So, TSA employees get a lovely demonstration of how powerful explosives can be. Useful to drive the point home, I suppose, since anyone who has no military or civilian explosives experience doesn't necessarily know exactly how powerful various explosives are in the wild.

Does this training include an explanation of the concept of cross-contamination, so TSOs know that they can swab just one item in a bag, not every little piece, to test for explosives residue?

Does this training include mention of the fact that there is no liquid explosive that can be mixed airside or airborne without laboratory conditions that has the slightest prayer of bringing down a plane?

Does this training include more extensive instruction in the detection and recognition of explosives, i.e. the ability to tell whether you're looking at C4, toothpaste, or cake frosting?

Does this training provide any actual training at all, or is it simply a testosterone-fueled demonstration of various things that go boom?

Originally Posted by CPT Trips (Post 21050030)

You are correct. Nothing they showed on camera prepared the Airport Security Screeners to find one of those bombs or properly respond to a discovery of one. It sure would be interesting to see the "lesson plan" and the instructional objectives. It was probably fun for most Airport Security Screeners present and the guys actually blowing up things likely kept their skill set up.

Can someone remind me. Has TSA discovered any bomb or IED at a security checkpoint?

Originally Posted by eyecue (Post 21102101)

Yes we have!!

Originally Posted by coachrowsey (Post 21102455)

When ?

Originally Posted by eyecue (Post 21102524)

05/27/2009 is one

Originally Posted by eyecue (Post 21102524)

05/27/2009 is one

Originally Posted by eyecue (Post 21102524)

05/27/2009 is one

Originally Posted by eyecue (Post 21102524)

05/27/2009 is one

Originally Posted by eyecue (Post 21102075)

I have had this training and they took a plane out and put the items in the seat backs and overheads and bags to show the full effect.

Originally Posted by eyecue

BTW you are are not correct on the assumption that no liquid can be mixed in a non laboratory setting to make an explosive.

Originally Posted by eyecue

You are also not correct in the assumption that looking at c4, toothpaste or cake frosting is a fail safe method of detection.